Sprayer



y G. MOTT, JR., Er 2,243,435

SPRAYER Filed Aug. 31, 1938 21 'Zib w 20 55 14 23 ar g u ,4 26 29 IINVENTORS. d M De. y.

Patented May 27, 1941 2,243,435 SPRAYER Garret Mott, Jr., Scarsdale, N.Y., and Charles L.

Brown, Jr., Stamford, Conn., assignors toElectrolux Corporation, NewYork, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application August 31, 1938,Serial No. 227,612

3 Claims.

This invention relates to sprayers and more particularly to sprayersdesigned for operation by air fiow at a relatively low pressure.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved sprayer of the typeoperated by'low air pressure with means for regulating the liquid spray.

What we consider to be novel and our invention may be better understoodby reference to the following specification and appended claims whenconsidered in connection with the accompanying drawing, in :which Fig. 1is a cross-sectional view of the improved sprayer;

Fig. 2 is a top view;

Fig. 3 is a detailed sectional view taken along the line 3 3 of Fig. 1of a portion of the sprayer with the regulating valve in a fully openedposition;

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 with the regulating valve in anintermediate position; and

Fig. 5 is an exploded view of the regulating valve.

Referring to the drawing, I indicates a container in the form of a.glass jar for a liquid N tobe sprayed. In threaded engagement with thecontainer I0 is a cover l2 with an interposed gasket |3 for eflecting anair tight seal between the container l0 and cover l2. Secured to the topof cover |2 is an air tube M with an air inlet l and air outlet I6. Airtube I4 is tapered toward the outlet to produce a high velocity of airin the outlet opening l6 and to produce a pressure in the container I0as will be explained below. Liquid riser I1 is secured to the cover I2and extends from substantially the bottom of container H) to the outletopening l6 of air tube I 4. Sprayer nozzle I8 is in threaded engagementwith the end of liquid riser I! with its opening l9 positioned beyondthe end of air tube M. The opening IQ of nozzle I8 is smaller than theinner bore of the liquid riser l'l to produce a concentrated spray ofliquid.

An air admission tube 20 for the container I0 is secured to the cover l2and extends traversely through the air .tube M. Tube 20 has a relativelysmall opening 2| communicating with theinterior of the tube serving toadmit'air to the container In for the purpose of producing an airpressure above the liquid II. Upon the passage of air through the airtube M from the large inlet opening l5 to the smaller outlet opening ISa pressure head is produced within the air tube M. This pressure iscommunicated through the admission tube 20 to the container Ill aboveliquid N and causes the liquid to flow up through the liquid riser I1and out through the opening IS. The air flowing through the out-letopening l6 supplements the air pressure above the liquid N in-producinga flow of liquid from the opening IS. The high-velocity air leaving theexit opening l6 also serves to direct and disperse the liquid spray.

. The air pressure in the container I0 above liquid N is varied and thequantity of flow of liquid controlled by'a regulating valve 22.Regulating valve 22 includes a tube 23 having a knurled cap 24 and anangular slot 25. Tube 23 extends through the admission tube 20. Tube 23is secured in the admission tube 2|) by means of a pin 26 extendingtraversely through apertures 21 in the bottom of tube 23. A spring 28and washer 29 are located between the pin 26 and cover l2. A bleederopening 30 is provided in cap 24 for a purpose which will be explainedbelow. When the regulating valve 22 is in the fully opened position asshown in Fig. 2, the angular slot 25 completelysuncovers the opening 2|as best indicated in Fig. 3. The pressure head produced by'the flow ofair through the air tube I4 is communicated to the container II]. Thispressure drives the liquid N up the riser I1 and out the nozzle openingl9; Air flows into the container l0 through the opening 2| of admissiontube to replace the liquid leaving the container. Some air flows outthrough the bleeder opening 30, but due to its relatively small size ascompared with opening 2|, this does not appreciably reduce the pressurewithin the container I0. With the regulating valve 22 in this position amaximum flow of liquid through the liquid riser l1 and nozzle I8 isproduced. If it is desired to reduce the. flow of liquid, the tube 23 isrotated by means of a knurled cap 24 from the position indicated in Fig.3 to an intermediate position as shown in Fig. 4. In the intermediateposition of Fig. 4, the angular slot only partially uncovers the opening2|. This reduces the effective size of opening 2|, as compared withbleeder opening and so reduces the air pressure above the liquid N ofcontainer H).

In the fully-opened position, the pin 26 engages the riser I! as a stopfor the regulating valve 22. In the fully-closed position the open--,

ing 2| is completely covered and so no air is admitted to the containerIII. This stops the flow of liquid through the riser l1 and nozzle I8.When the regulating valve is in the closed position the opposite end ofpin 26 engages riser H to position and stop the regulating valve.

There is of necessity a clearance between the air admission tube 20 andtube 23 when the regulating valve 22 is in the fully closed position.This may produce a slight flow of liquid through the riser H with thevalve in the closed position. A flow of liquid when the regulating valve22 is closed is prevented by bleeder opening 30 which discharges the airflowing in this clearancespace to atmosphere. The opening 30 issufliciently large to relieve any pressure in the container l sition.

The regulating valve 22 is assembled to the cover l2 simply by insertingit through the admission tube 20, placing over its end the spring 28 andwasher 29, after which pin 26 is inserted through openings2l. Subsequentaccidental removal of the pin 26 is prevented by grooves 3| in pin 26which receive washer 29. Spring 28 holds the washer 29 seated in thegrooves 3|. Spring 26 also produces suflicient friction to hold valve 22in any selected position.

.In the normal operation of the sprayer, it is contemplated that asource of air pressure will be connected to the air tube H as byinserting .the end of a vacuum cleaner hose orother air conduit whichmay be connected to the blower side of a vacuum cleaner or other sourceof air pressure in opening IS. The sprayer will be grasped by theconduit connected to the air tube M. The hand gripping the conduit willbe in a position to control the regulating valve 22 by a forefinger orthumb simply rotating the valve tube 23 to a position to obtain thedesired flow of liquidi'rom the nozzle l8. To replenish the supply ofliquid H in container to, the cover 12 is removed from the container H).The air tube 14, liquid riser I1, and regulating valve 22 are all ountedon the cover I2 which facilitates the man facture and assembly of thesprayer.

What we claim is: I

1. A sprayer including a liquid container; a cover for said container;an air tube secured to said cover having an inl t opening and an outletopening; an open ended admission tube extending across said air tube,through said cover, and having an opening intermediate its endscommunicating with the interior of saidair tube; a liquid riserextending from adjacent the bottom of said container to the outletopening of said air tube; a tubeextending through said admission tube'when the regulating valve 22 is in a closed pohaving a knurled cap witha bleeder opening; an angular slot adapted to partly or wholly uncoverthe opening in said admission tube; a pin passing through apertures insaid last-named tube adapted to engage said riser to, stop the r0-tation of said tube in an open or closed position; a washer seated ingrooves in said pin; and a spring located between said washer and saidcover; whereby the flow of liquid is controlled by rotating saidlast-named tube to vary the efiective size of the admission tubeopening, communicating with the interior of the air tube relative to thesize of the bleeder opening and regulate the pressure in said container.

2. A sprayer including a liquid container; a cover for said container;an air tube having an inlet opening-and a smaller outlet opening; anadmission tube extending across said air tube having a first openingcommunicating with the interior of the air tube and a second openingcommunicating with the interior of the container; a liquid riserextending from the bottom of the container to the outlet opening of theair tube; and a valve adapted to partly or wholly uncover the opening inthe admission tube communicating with the interior of the air tube andhaving an opening communicating with the atmosphere, whereby the flow ofliquid is controlled by the relative size of the opening in theadmission tube communicating with the interior of the air tube and theopening in the valve communicating with the atmosphere.

3. A sprayer including a liquid container; a cover for said container;an air tube secured to said cover having an inlet opening and a smalleroutlet opening; an admission tube extending across said air tube havinga first opening communicating with the interior of the air tube and asecond opening communicating with the interiorofthe container; a liquidriser extending from the bottom of the container to the outlet openingof the air tube; and a valve adapted to cover or uncover the opening inthe admission tube communicating with the interior of the air tube; saidvalve having an opening communicating with the atmosphere to relieve anypressure in the container due to leakage past the valve when the valvecovers the opening in the admission tube communicating with the interiorof the air tube.

v GARRET MO'I'I, JR.

CHARLES L. BROWN, J a.

